John Ritzu

Mr. Ritzu has been involved in the architecture profession since 1977. Through his experience in design, technical coordination, construction observation, and management he has acquired extensive knowledge about the analysis, interpretation, and application of building, zoning, and accessibility codes. He has applied his technical knowledge toprojects for financial, education, hospitality, and government clients, including work for the U.S. Department of Justice. His meticulous attention to detail is well-suited for his role as program manager for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST program. Mr. Ritzu manages the Resource Center, website, and nationwide training components of the program, which provides technical guidance on the accessibility requirements of the Fair Housing Act. Complementing this work he assists the FHA FIRST in providing technical guidance to the questions asked through the agency’s toll-free information line and website. He recently led LCM’s role in HUD’s revision of the FHA Design Manual. He has been an instructor and lecturer at Carnegie-Mellon University, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Harrington Institute of Interior Design in Chicago.